More than 1,500 local Girl Scouts, volunteers and their families were introduced to Digital Cookie enhancements at a training rally Dec. 13 at EverBank Field. In addition to Digital Cookie, Girl Scouts learned about safety, marketing, goal setting, booth and face-to-face sales, financial literacy, and rewards. Using Digital Cookie helps the girls earn any of 11 badges related to business.

Last year, 604 local Girl Scouts sold nearly 13,600 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies combined through the Digital Cookie platform. This year, an anticipated 20 percent increase in the number of Girl Scouts from the Gateway Council are expected to participate, demonstrating the excitement surrounding Digital Cookie 2.0’s more robust, hands-on and entertaining learning experience. Local Girl Scouts will begin taking cookie orders this month, with booth sales occurring from mid-February through March 13.

Now in its second year, Digital Cookie 2.0 features design enhancements built upon the “science of play” to expand girls’ understanding of the business cycle, online marketing, e-commerce and website customization, in addition to the five essential skills girls learn through the annual cookie program (goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics).

“With this new engaging technology, girls who participate will learn skills to help put them ahead of the curve when entering the workforce, and customers can feel good about supporting girls’ STEM education while purchasing their favorite Girl Scout Cookies,” said Mary Anne Jacobs, Girl Scouts of Gateway Council CEO.